Authors note: I do not own any characters from harry potter

Chapter One:

The Meeting

Voldemort sat with an ominous presence, his eyes dark slits of disappointment, his wand laid carefully under his hand upon the table. Nagini was at his side, slithering around on the floor, hissing and leering at Draco and his father, who stood behind Voldemort on either side. Both were terrified, afraid to move, to even breathe. The pain of the curse Voldemort had laid on both of them still coursing through their nerves.

"Master," Snape asked boldly in his ominous deep voice, "if I may suggest-"

Voldemorts eyes darted to meet Snape's, making him almost swallow his tongue. He was very cautious to not let the Dark Lord into his thoughts but sometimes he wondered if maybe Voldemort knew everything in his mind. Maybe he was fully aware of his treachery, his deceitfullness and was toying with him, like a predator playing slowly with its food before it guts it alive.

"If I may suggest…" Snape began again once he collected himself. "a different approach to capturing the boy?"

"Ah, Severus." Voldemort hissed as he closed his eyes and nodded his head. Snape couldn't help but notice that Nagini had suddenly taken an interest in him and was circling around his chair, nipping at his feet playfully. "Is there ever an end to your trickery?"

Snapes muscles tensed and his body felt suddenly heavy, as though someone had put a boulder on his shoulders. "My Lord?"

"I am fully aware of your attempt to take my attention off of your prized student" with a flick of his wand, Draco was suddenly hovered over the long stretch of table, paralyzed yet still able to show the horror in his eyes. "But no good deed goes unpunished." He looked up at Draco with malice and a look of disgust. Lucius muscles twitched and it was all he had in him to not drop to his knees and beg for mercy. His attempts would be futile he knew, but still he had to try

"Please…" he whispered sweat beading on his face. Voldemort didn't move his gaze off of Draco. "He is just a boy."

"He is old enough!" Voldemort yelled as his captive mustered a small frightened moan. "You are a disappointment." the Dark Lord stood his wand raised pointed. "Tell me, Boy, did you not comprehend the task I required of you?"

Ofcourse he couldn't say a word, since he was still under Voldemorts spell. This was how the Dark Lord liked it. He loved to mentally torture his prey.

"Look at me." he whispered.

Draco dared not look, for he didn't know if he would be the last thing he saw. He could barely feel his body, he was so frightened. He dared not think the thoughts that kept flying into his head. He knew Voldemort could see everything in his mind, and didn't want him second guessing his loyalty or competence.

"I said LOOK AT ME!"

He closed his eyes briefly and tried to keep the tears from filling them but couldn't. His body throbbed with the urge to sob, to beg, to plead, but he couldn't. Big wet drops spilled from his face onto the table making a soft patting noise. It seemed like minutes until he looked at him, but in reality it was only seconds.

"I should make an example of you." Voldemort looked around at his loyal Death Eaters sitting around the table, each of them on edge, staring at their Lord. The only one who seemed to be enjoying herself was Bellatrix, and in some ways, she was the one closest to the evil wizard. She enjoyed death and torture just as much as he did, no matter if it was family or not. To her, it made no difference.

"I should remind you all of my intolerance of incompetence." His gaze met Malfoys. "Ah, whats wrong boy?" he mocked. "Are you afraid to die?"

Yes, he screamed in his head. Yes, yes, please, I will do anything. Please just don't kill me!

"I had hoped…" Voldemort started but paused to let Draco fall hard onto the table. "I saw such promise in you."

Snape knew in his heart what would happen, as with everyone else around the table, but that didn't mean he liked it. Still, he could not take his eyes off of the young one. He was as close to a son as Severus ever came and he had great pride in the boy. He just wasn't ready to kill yet. He still doubted himself, and for that, in Snape's eyes, didn't deserve death.

"Avada kedavera!"

A green surge of electricity lit up Draco's body before he crumpled lifeless onto the table, his eyes grey staring up at his father, who was uncontrollably sobbing silently as he stood.

"You are weak, Lucius." he said as he retired his wand into his robe. "And so was your boy! Maybe if you were stronger he would not have come to this fate."

The words stung even Snape as he heard them. He did not cry, he never did. Yet he felt as though a part of him had died and he couldn't even look at Draco's lifeless body.

"Nagini." Voldemort summoned and the snake twisted and curled up onto the table beside Snape, slithering to the body which was now his meal.

Voldemort addressed his minions, as though there wasn't one of them dead on the table being swallowed whole by his death snake. "I trust you all will not disappoint me tonight as he did."

Bellatrix made a frown and shook her head from side to side, her wild curls bouncing around her face. "We would never my Lord" and she smiled at Lucius who was still watching as Nagini swallowed the last remains of his son into her stomach.

"The trace will be on the boy until he turns eighteen, so it will not be difficult to find him." he turned his head. "If you wish to bring honor to your family again I suggest you bring me the boy, Lucius. I will not tolerate another mistake again."

A.N. so what do you think? Let me know!